Brush.



PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

A. HART.

BRUSH.

APPLICATION Hun 001'. 31, 1902.

1:0 MQDBL.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.-

.A TTORNE YJ UNITED STATES i PATENT- OFFICE.

ALBERT HART, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO $MITH, KLINE & FRENCH COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

BRUSH.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 7 23,4=62, dated March 24, 1903.

' Application filed October 31, 1902. Serial No. 129,574. (No model.)

To all whom/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT HART, a subject of the King of Great Britain, (but having declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States,) residing in the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brushes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a brush, of which the brushing material consists of amass of rubber sponge with two brushing-surfaces on opposite sides, removably united to a handle by means of a containing-band.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a brush illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the, mass of rubber sponge removed from the handle. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the containing-band with a portion of the handle, and Fig. 4 is a detailed View showing the locking device of said band.

The body of the brush is formed of a single mass of rubber sponge A of the desired shape, which is preferably that shown, having two opposite brushing-surfaces a, a somewhat fiattened and having a rounded edge I) of regular contouras, for instance, the elliptical shape indicated in the drawings. The other portion of the brush consists of a handle D, having attached to it or preferably formed integrally with it a two-part containing-band d d, whose periphery is substantially similar to but smaller than the edge contour of the mass of rubber sponge. The handle D, with its band d d, may conveniently be made of aluminium. The two parts of the band are hinged together at e and the other ends are provided with a securing device, (shown in- Fig. 4,) whereby they may be held together in such manner as to be locked by the elasticity of the contained mass of sponge. This looking device is formed by means of notches g g, located near the ends of the parts (1 d, portions of said notches being undercut, so as to form a pair of corresponding dovetailed catches f f, which engage snugly with one another.. The total length of the notches as compared with the length of the dovetailed portions is such that the catches may be moved longitudinally apart to a distance which permits their disengagement from one another by lateral movement.

In use the parts d d are opened, the rubber sponge is inserted within their embrace, and they are then closed and locked by means of the catches f f in such way as to leave a brushing-surface exposed upon either side of the band. By reason of the peculiar consistency and structure of the rubber sponge when thus confined it will not be displaced by'ordinary usage, being held in position by its own elasticity, and it also firmly locks the catches in engagement, so as to prevent the containing-band from opening. It can, however, at any time be taken out and replaced by pushing the catches longitudinally apart and thenseparating them laterally to permit the opening of the band.

The stability of the rubber sponge within its containing-band is increased by making a slight variation at one or more points between the configuration of the rubber sponge and that of the closed band. Thus it will be observed in the drawings that although in general outline the two correspond, yet the elongated sides of the rubber sponge are continuously rounded, while the corresponding sides of the band are flattened, thus producing an increased pressure at these two opposite points.

The brush thus produced has two brushingsurfaces of equal-utility. It is light and durable. Its cleanliness is obvious, as it consists of separable parts, each of which can be thoroughly and readily cleaned. Whenever the rubber sponge has been worn out, it may be replaced by another inserted in the same handle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A brush-handle provided with a holder in the form of a divided band; the meeting ends of which are overlapped one upon the other, and provided upon their overlapped faces with interlocking undercut projections.

2. A brush comprising a handle, a bandlike holder comprising a rigid section and a hinged section; the free ends of the hinged section and the adjacent end of the fixed sec- -ti0n being overlapped and there provided my name in the presence of two subscribing with interlocking undercut catches, and a, witnesses. brush-body formed. of amass of elastic material compressed Within the holder, and hold-' ALBERT HART 5 ing it locked by the expansive force of the Witnesses:

material. JAMEs H. BELL,

M. KATIE TRUMBORE.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed 

